]]>THE failures of University Hospital Limerick, which recently broke Irish records for patients waiting on trolleys; was the background to a behind closed doors meeting between UL Hospitals representatives CEO Colette Cowan, Chief Clinical Director Paul Burke and Clare County Council on Monday.

Councillor Tom McNamara was one of those who attended but he didn’t accept all that he was told. “They outlined the reason for the overcrowding, they said there was an MRI scanner down and they need a second one. They said that 25 beds extra were opened up when the 17 closed, which we found hard to believe. You know in your heart and soul if 25 beds were going up in Limerick Regional Hospital, there’d be a big fanfare. From what we can gather from below, there weren’t 25 beds open. How come if there were 25 beds opened, when the 17 closed, the numbers on trolleys jumped up to 81?”

A few years ago the opening of a new emergency department at UHL was supposed to provide a large part of the answer to the region’s failing health services, and Councillor McNamara said the UHL representatives are again saying new facilities will make a big difference. “They said that money was allocated, which we knew, for the 60-bed modular unit. They’re doing the preliminary ground works at the moment, the contractor is coming in soon and you’re looking at 15 months for that to be complete. You’re looking at the 95-bed unit on the 2022 service plan. Whether it will happen by 2022 or not, your guess is as good as mine.”

Councillor McNamara said that the provision of staff is now a major issue at the hospital. “There’s a major problem down there with staffing. There’s an embargo now, they can’t take on staff. Even people that they had told they were taking on in the next couple of weeks, they can’t take them on now because of the embargo.”

He feels that the region needs a model three hospital and that Clare’s TDs and sole Senator need to make sure it is based in Ennis. “I’m very adamant that it needs the support of a model three hospital because when the pressure is on the model four, you still have the A&E open in the model three. The minister said that he would look at the reconfiguration of the hospital groups, with the view to increasing the population in the Mid-West to justify having a model three. I think it’s up to our five Oireachtas members to ensure it’s in Ennis.”

The Kilmaley councillor feels the state of services in the Mid- West shows a cultural reluctance to accept errors. “We can never admit to a mistake. You’re supposed to learn from mistakes but we just can’t admit to it.”

Councillor Johnny Flynn said that he had told the UHL representatives that this part of the country is very vulnerable if there is a serious accident or some kind of disaster here.

“They responded that the reconfiguration and closure of Ennis happened in 2008 and 2009 and the investment into bed capacity and staff wasn’t done because of the economic collapse but they’ve started it in the last number of years. I’m still not happy with the current condition of the provision of health services in the region and I outlined
that I would be requesting and advocating for the Model Three hospital in Ennis with 24 hour A&E. I believe it’s crucial for a number of reasons.

“One of the main reasons I outlined to them was that as a former member of the Mid-West major emergency planning group, when I was fire chief in Limerick, in the event of a major emergency in the airport, on the estuary, on the motorway, in the tunnel or at industrial sites in the region, the previous ability of Nenagh, St John’s and Ennis, to deal with casualties from a major emergency meant that the University Hospital in Limerick could continue to provide health services for the resident population. But because they’ve downgraded those three hospitals, there isn’t the expertise in them to send to the emergency site or to receive emergency casualties to those hospitals. From a civil protection point of view, the Mid-West region is not adequately covered to deal with a major emergency.”

Giving changes in the region’s demographics, he feels that services in the region are a long way from where they need to be. “The HSE senior management outlined that 10 years ago, the Teamwork Report identified that 150 beds needed to be added to Limerick, when Ennis and the other hospitals closed. None of those were added. I believe we’re probably short 250 beds really with the population growth and the ageing of the population.”

]]>New kits for Clare firefightershttps://clarechampion.ie/new-kits-for-clare-firefighters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-kits-for-clare-firefighters
Fri, 01 Jun 2018 13:37:49 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=55940Mayor of Clare Tom McNamara, today (Friday) presented Clare County Fire and Rescue Service with 166 sets of next generation fire kits for firefighters. The Fire Action Matrix X-treme kits were acquired from Hunter Apparel Solutions Limited at a cost of €243,000 and represent the latest in a number of positive developments for the local …

]]>Mayor of Clare Tom McNamara, today (Friday) presented Clare County Fire and Rescue Service with 166 sets of next generation fire kits for firefighters.

The Fire Action Matrix X-treme kits were acquired from Hunter Apparel Solutions Limited at a cost of €243,000 and represent the latest in a number of positive developments for the local fire service.

Earlier this year, construction works began on upgrading and extending Kilkee Fire Station as part of a €661,000 investment in modernising the facilities for the local fire brigade. The fire service recently took delivery of high pressure lifting bags at a cost of €66,000 to enhance the response to road based incidents. The fire service is also awaiting final approval to order a new Class B Fire Appliance costing €340,000 for expected delivery in 2019.

Mayor McNamara said, “The new protective clothing will continue to provide crews with the best protection they have ever had at incidents. The high quality specification underlines Clare County Fire and Rescue Service’s commitment to the safety of its frontline crews and will provide greater protection to firefighters on the incident ground.”

Carmel Kirby, director of physical development, commented, “Clare County Council is committed to ensuring that its fire service personnel are provided with fire kit that provides a high standard of protection to the wearer, while also ensuring that personnel can be easily visible, particularly at road-based incidents.”

As part of the procurement process for the new fire kits, fire and rescue service personnel in Clare were involved in trialling the clothing for comfort and fit across a range of role-related scenarios.

]]>New houses for Feaklehttps://clarechampion.ie/new-houses-for-feakle/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-houses-for-feakle
Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:37:48 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=54715A Part 8 process for the development of a 13-house scheme in Feakle has been unanimously approved by the members of Clare County Council. The new scheme is being developed as part of the Rebuilding Ireland Programme and is the first social housing development in Feakle since 1973. The development, which comprises a mix of …

]]>A Part 8 process for the development of a 13-house scheme in Feakle has been unanimously approved by the members of Clare County Council.

The new scheme is being developed as part of the Rebuilding Ireland Programme and is the first social housing development in Feakle since 1973. The development, which comprises a mix of three and two-bed houses to cater for the needs of the area, has gone through extensive public and department consultation and includes a new pedestrian way linking the main street to the school and playground.

Councillor Tom McNamara, Mayor of Clare, said, “The design, accessibility and usability of previous social housing developments in County Clare have been of the highest standard and I am sure these schemes will be welcomed by applicants on the Council’s waiting list for social housing.”

Councillor Gerry Flynn, Chair of the Social Development SPC, commented, “2018 is the year for moving projects into construction stage. This is a positive step in the ongoing programme of delivering housing schemes during the coming year in an effort to reduce the social housing waiting list.”

The design team is now preparing tender documents with a view to starting construction on the site later this year.

]]>Mid-West TB falls dramicallyhttps://clarechampion.ie/mid-west-tb-falls-dramically/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mid-west-tb-falls-dramically
Tue, 02 Jan 2018 09:57:31 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=54166THE incidence of tuberculosis in the Mid-West fell from 26 to eight over a 12-month period, it has been confirmed There were 26 cases of tuberculosis in the Mid-West in 2016, despite a decline in overall rates over the last five decades. Dr Rose Fitzgerald explained how there are variations in the number of cases …

]]>THE incidence of tuberculosis in the Mid-West fell from 26 to eight over a 12-month period, it has been confirmed

There were 26 cases of tuberculosis in the Mid-West in 2016, despite a decline in overall rates over the last five decades.

Dr Rose Fitzgerald explained how there are variations in the number of cases every year and noted this year the numbers had fallen to just eight cases.

“We have been having about 15 or 16 cases of TB annually; we had more last year and less this year. TB takes a long time to develop, so you can get variations from year to year.
“We are seeing drug-resistance for treating TB, which is a real problem. Sometimes people will get TB that is resistant to one drug, which can be easily enough managed.

“Sometimes you can get TB that is resistant to a number of drugs and you can get one that is extremely drug resistant, which is very difficult to treat,” she outlined.

“The incidence of tuberculosis has been declining for the last 50 years. People thought it was gone completely, so now people are concerned when they hear about TB cases,” she explained. “In Ireland, there are in the region of 300 TB cases every year.”

]]>Stockton’s Wing ‘humbled’ by civic reception marking 40 years of musichttps://clarechampion.ie/stocktons-wing-humbled-by-civic-reception-marking-40-years-of-music/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stocktons-wing-humbled-by-civic-reception-marking-40-years-of-music
Sun, 15 Oct 2017 05:18:09 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=53398GLOWING tributes to the contribution made by Stockton’s Wing to Irish and folk music in Ireland and abroad were paid during a civic reception on Monday night. Past and present members of Stockton’s Wing, which was formed in Ennis in 1977, gathered at Áras Contae an Chláir along with elected members, council officials, special guests …

]]>GLOWING tributes to the contribution made by Stockton’s Wing to Irish and folk music in Ireland and abroad were paid during a civic reception on Monday night.

Past and present members of Stockton’s Wing, which was formed in Ennis in 1977, gathered at Áras Contae an Chláir along with elected members, council officials, special guests from the world of music and entertainment, family and friends.

On behalf of the group, Mike Hanrahan said the band were “humbled and delighted” to be recognised in such a tremendous way in their own county.

He said the band was accepting the award on behalf of their families and all the countless people who supported them over the last 40 years.

He recalled ditching his books in the River Fergus after the school holidays and heading up to Doolin in a car with his brother Kieran and Paul Roche, where they discovered a whole new world of musicians, poets, dancers, “chancers, lovers and dreamers”.

They also met Tommy McGann, who became their friend and mentor and played a pivotal role in their success throughout the USA. He recalled that producer PJ Curtis introduced the band to global music, while Deirdre Costelloe gave them the keys to a Dublin studio to record at night because they couldn’t afford the daytime rates.

He said Oliver Barry became a real mentor for the band, taught them about the industry and introduced them to people such as Sammy Davis and Terry Wogan because he saw “a bunch of guys from Clare who just wanted to get on and enjoy themselves” playing music.

Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Tom McNamara said, “From sharing a stage with Michael Jackson and Sammy Davis Junior to featuring in Jim Sheridan’s film The Field with Richard Harris and from headlining concerts all over the world to producing 12 albums including several top 10 singles, Stockton’s Wing truly is a band for all the ages”.

Pat Dowling, chief executive of Clare County Council, said, “Time and time again over the past 40 years, Stockton’s Wing have produced quality music, a distinct sound, memorable live performances and always a unique connection with music fans”.

Councillor Ann Norton recalled the atmosphere in the Dome was electric when they performed a “mind-blowing” concert to a packed house during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann last year, while Councillor Clare Colleran-Molloy praised the band for producing so many fantastic performances in concert over the decades, including in 2003.

Councillor Pat Daly said that 40 years on the road was a fantastic achievement for a band with members from St Michael’s Villas in Ennis and Councillor Johnny Flynn described the band as “fantastic ambassadors for Ennis and Ireland”.

Councillor Mary Howard said she was very proud that members of the band came from the heart of the town. Councillor Pat Hayes praised the band for being so adventurous, while Councillor Pat Burke recalled attending one of their concerts the night before the 1995 All-Ireland final.

Former Councillor Bernard Hanrahan joked that while the band became more and more successful over the decades, he went “backwards when he went into politics”.

]]>Wednesday opening of new motorwayhttps://clarechampion.ie/wednesday-opening-of-new-motorway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wednesday-opening-of-new-motorway
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 10:57:06 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=53179This Wednesday’s opening of the M18 Gort to Tuam motorway has been welcomed by Councillor Tom McNamara, Mayor of Clare. Mayor McNamara said the motorway is “a vitally important infrastructure project that will bring a range of significant benefits for the regional economy and for communities along the route that are currently experiencing traffic congestion. …

]]>This Wednesday’s opening of the M18 Gort to Tuam motorway has been welcomed by Councillor Tom McNamara, Mayor of Clare.

Mayor McNamara said the motorway is “a vitally important infrastructure project that will bring a range of significant benefits for the regional economy and for communities along the route that are currently experiencing traffic congestion. It also will create immediate benefits, especially for drivers of commercial and heavy vehicles.”

“There are clear benefits for Shannon Airport which will be easily accessible to customers along the western seaboard while the improved connectivity will make the West of Ireland a more competitive location for foreign direct investment,” he said.

Shannon Group and Shannon Airport have stated that the opening of the M18 Gort to Tuam motorway is “an unprecedented opportunity to advance the case of a western economic corridor”.

Shannon Airport managing director Andrew Murphy said that this final link in a seamless motorway/dual carriageway chain from Tuam to Galway, Ennis, Shannon, and onto Limerick redoubles the potential of the region to be marketed for inward investment and tourism.

Mr Murphy said that all stakeholders along this Atlantic corridor must come together now and look at how they can collectively promote the region for the benefit of all.

“This is much more than the opening of a segment of a motorway; it is huge stimulus for advancing the economy of this region. Up until now, the absence of continuous motorway right up to Tuam was an impediment in creating the collective that we now have at our disposal,” he said.

]]>Banner welcome for Rhode Island grouphttps://clarechampion.ie/banner-welcome-for-rhode-island-group/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=banner-welcome-for-rhode-island-group
Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:48:11 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=53141 Clare County Council today (Monday) hosted a delegation from Rhode Island, USA, at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis. The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, comprising business, tourism and government representatives, was led by Mayor Scott Avedisian, City of Warwick. Warwick is the second largest city in the State of Rhode Island and is home …

Clare County Council today (Monday) hosted a delegation from Rhode Island, USA, at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis.

The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, comprising business, tourism and government representatives, was led by Mayor Scott Avedisian, City of Warwick.

Warwick is the second largest city in the State of Rhode Island and is home to T F Green Airport which is served from Shannon Airport by Norwegian Air.

The delegation was welcomed to Ennis by Councillor Tom McNamara (Mayor of Clare), Pat Dowling,Chief Executive, Clare County Council and Padraic McElwee, head of enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Clare).

A function attended by the delegation and community, business, Government, local government and tourism representatives from throughout County Clare was hosted in Durty Nelly’s, Bunratty, last night (Sunday).

]]>Rats seen near Ennis househttps://clarechampion.ie/rats-seen-near-ennis-house/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rats-seen-near-ennis-house
Sun, 16 Apr 2017 15:03:07 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=51602RATS have been spotted near a house in Ennis that has been used as a dumping ground, it has been claimed, as calls were made to address illegal littering described as a “plague” on the county. Rubbish has been dumped behind the house on the Gort Road for the past two years, according to Councillor …

]]>RATS have been spotted near a house in Ennis that has been used as a dumping ground, it has been claimed, as calls were made to address illegal littering described as a “plague” on the county.
Rubbish has been dumped behind the house on the Gort Road for the past two years, according to Councillor Tom McNamara.

At this week’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, the councillor said, “When the Environment Section of Clare County Council have fully investigated the illegal dumping of waste and cannot find anyone responsible, they contact the area office to remove it to landfill. What process has the area engineer in place to insure that this waste is removed to landfill?”

He gave an example of the house on the Gort Road, saying, “There has been sightings of rats in the vicinity. I request this waste to be removed to landfill immediately.”

Eamon O’Dea, senior executive engineer, responded, “The municipal district office is tasked by the council to arrange clean up of dumping locations for the Environment Section of the council.

This location has not been completed and arrangements are being made for removal of the rubbish.
“The municipal district office is compiling the list of outstanding requests for removal of dumped material or severe littering from the public, TidyTowns groups and the Environment Section of the council. This will require the roads and maintenance crews to be tasked for at least two to three days per month on this duty.

“It should be noted that the Gateway Scheme Operatives finished in February and the municipal district office are expecting two general operatives to sta

]]>Maternity Hospital’s ‘baby box’ initiativehttps://clarechampion.ie/maternity-hospitals-baby-box-initiative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=maternity-hospitals-baby-box-initiative
Thu, 22 Sep 2016 07:24:20 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=32998MID-West parents are to be supplied with “free baby boxes”, in addition to important literature, when they leave the University Maternity Hospital Limerick, it has been announced. The proposal, which is being introduced at no cost to the HSE, is now at a stage where all the necessary groundwork has been carried out and has …

]]>MID-West parents are to be supplied with “free baby boxes”, in addition to important literature, when they leave the University Maternity Hospital Limerick, it has been announced.

The proposal, which is being introduced at no cost to the HSE, is now at a stage where all the necessary groundwork has been carried out and has been launched this Friday.

Over the last two months, the University Maternity Hospital Limerick, led and co-ordinated by Dr Mendinaro (Naro) Incha, have been working on a project to distribute free baby boxes to the parents of all newborn babies. It is expected to be rolled out in the next few weeks.

Among those involved in the project is Dr Emma Kearney of Ennis Family Medical Centre. She has contributed to the initiative by helping to prepare an online information resource, which will be given to all new parents, along with their baby box, before they leave the hospital.

This type of project, which was introduced in Scandinavia in the 1930s, led to a dramatic decrease in the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Finland was the first country to begin using baby boxes with the objective of reducing the infant mortality rate. Due to its success, this method has spread across many countries.

The University Maternity Hospital Limerick will be the first hospital in Ireland to introduce this targeted service for the benefit of the Mid-West community.

Dr Kearney said, “It is being done to highlight awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and it’s to keep it in the minds of new parents. The initiative was started in Finland in the 1930s and led to dramatic decreases in SIDS over the following few years and it has been adopted in other countries since. It is just something we can’t get complacent about,” she said.

Dr Kearney said the box itself can actually be used as a bed.

“It is a very robust cardboard box. It has been beautifully designed by a parent from the maternity hospital. In other countries, it has been used as a bed. It is a very safe bed. It contains a mattress with a light sheet over it. If parents wanted to put it between them in a bed, that would be possible.

“It can be used if they were travelling anywhere and didn’t have a second Moses basket or cot; it can be used in that context.

“It also has a number of contents, like a vest, a baby gro, a nappy and a couple of things for mum and there are links to important topics that would be of interest to all new parents,” she added.

A number of medical professionals have contributed to the box. There is also an online educational resource for parents of newborn babies, known as the Baby Box University, where brief videos were filmed using staff from University Maternity Hospital Limerick addressing the most common concerns of parents with newborns.

HSE West Forum chairman Councillor Tom McNamara said he is happy to see any additional support for parents of newborn babies at the hospital.

“The ‘baby box’ initiative will be of great help to parents of babies born at the hospital in future. With the high costs involved in providing for a new baby, this is a welcome head start.
“From a HSE perspective, the fact that there is no cost to the organisation is a major plus. It’s not too often we get to facilitate improvements to our services without trying to scrape together funding,” he said.

A similar initiative has been rolled out in the UK only in the last few months, with Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital (QCCH) in London, part of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, pioneering this concept there.

“SIDS is something that we are striving to maintain an awareness of among new parents in the region, hopefully keeping the rate as low as absolutely possible,” Dr Kearney added.

It is hoped that the baby box initiative will help to improve the postnatal care and health of babies.

]]>Property Tax to increase by 15%https://clarechampion.ie/property-tax-to-increase-by-15/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=property-tax-to-increase-by-15
Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:42:38 +0000http://newsclarechampion.flywheelsites.com/?p=32973HOUSEHOLDS in Clare will be paying more in Local Property Tax for next year than they have in the past two years. Members of Clare County Council have voted not to reduce the tax as they have done in previous years, meaning a 15% increase for households. The decision to collect the property tax at …

]]>HOUSEHOLDS in Clare will be paying more in Local Property Tax for next year than they have in the past two years. Members of Clare County Council have voted not to reduce the tax as they have done in previous years, meaning a 15% increase for households.

The decision to collect the property tax at the full rate will result in €1.5 million in income for the local authority. Clare County Council CEO Pat Dowling commented that the people of County Clare will see “clear evidence” of the added value generated by the decision not to reduce the tax.

Over a third of all properties in Clare, 36.5%, are in the lowest valuation band for the tax, with a 15% change resulting in an increase in their tax by €13.50 per year, or 26c a week.

The next two valuation bands account for over a half of all properties with the change impacting these bands by €33.75 per year or .65c per week and €47.25 per year or .91c a week respectively.
In all, 91.6% of all properties in Clare fall into the three lowest valuation bands, with just 1.4% of properties in valuation bands above €300,000.

Councillor Tom McNamara, who proposed that the tax cut not apply for next year, insisted that the money generated be divided between the Municipal Districts to ensure that it is used in the areas that would be of most benefit.